I've started this topic as I'd like to meet the Orthodox Christian converts.

Whether you are only thinking of converting or have already converted, please sate what religion you were before , if you were of any religion at all, and where you are from i.e. a nationality or a country.

I'd just like to know what religion people to convert from and what countries you are in, I am really interested in knowing about the Orthodox converts and reasons/how you found your way to Orthodoxy.

If you are a convert, please make yourself known here:)Thank you and be blessed by our Father in Christ!

« Last Edit: March 25, 2013, 06:15:17 PM by andrewlya »

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I believe in one God the Father and His Son the Messiah, the Savior of all people.

I grew up with a lot of RC influences (my dad's side of the family is from Mexico, Ireland, etc., so they're all Catholic, though I don't think any of them are practicing anymore), so it seemed like a natural fit for a while. But I increasingly became dissatisfied with it as a mode of being Christian. It just seemed really shallow in the way that it was rooted in medieval philosophers and lots of speculation and the rambling verbiage of smart people. I wanted something simpler, more "organic", for lack of a better way to put it. I had seen glimpses of that in the RCC in Mexico and other places, but it seemed like real faith, as opposed to intellectual assent to a set of principles (often not regarding Christ, but the proper governance of the church and other such things), was increasingly hard to find. So when I eventually found some sermons by HH Pope Shenouda III that were really easy to follow, direct, and powerful, I knew I had to know more. I felt that this was the faith I wanted but didn't have. I found a copy of the Agpeya, fell in love with it, started reading the Desert Fathers, etc. It really changed my whole outlook. So now about three years after my introduction to Coptic Orthodoxy, here I am.

As a protestant I found out about the Tradition which completed the Bible, and as a Roman Catholic I found out about the history of The Church which disagreed with Roman Catholic doctrines, to make a long story short.

Catholic/Baptist>believer but God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit couldn't be contained in a man made religion (agnostic and stupid 18-23 year old anyone? )Lutheran by marriage > Christian/non-denom stops > fed up > maybe Catholics weren't so far off base-what do they really believe? > Kalistos Ware's book literally falling off the shelf at the kcmo library with Scott Hahn's book in my hand > lots and lots of questions > here I am a few years down the road! .

100 % American pie (some of dis, some of dat, sprinkle of this, splash of that, pinch of this, and a few good spalters of who knows what else -just like all the 90 % of the mutts, LOL!

I hope to start the catechumenate in September. That's when I'm moving out.

« Last Edit: March 26, 2013, 02:59:21 AM by Cyrillic »

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"Who wants to be consistent? The dullard and the doctrinaire, the tedious people who carry out their principles to the bitter end of action, to the reductio ad absurdum of practice. Not I."-Oscar Wilde, The Decay of Lying

"Who wants to be consistent? The dullard and the doctrinaire, the tedious people who carry out their principles to the bitter end of action, to the reductio ad absurdum of practice. Not I."-Oscar Wilde, The Decay of Lying

Raised Lutheran/Anglican (not many Lutheran churches in the UK) fell out with Protestantism as a teenager and wandered through various religions, most notably a two year stint practising Karma Kagyu Buddhism. I've lived most of my life in the UK, but ethnically I'm a bit of a mongrel, predominantly German/Czech, though.

James

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We owe greater gratitude to those who humble us, wrong us, and douse us with venom, than to those who nurse us with honour and sweet words, or feed us with tasty food and confections, for bile is the best medicine for our soul. - Elder Paisios of Mount Athos

I've lived most of my life in the UK, but ethnically I'm a bit of a mongrel, predominantly German/Czech, though.

The strange world of Orthodoxy. I've assumed you're a Romanian living in Romania.

No, I speak Romanian, I married a Romanian and I love Romania, but I'm certainly not Romanian ethnically. In fact a history of empire, two world wars and communism have conspired to scatter my family across Europe from Slovakia to France and, in the case of my small branch, the UK. If anyone asks me where I'm from the short answer is always that I'm a European. I don't think that I actually have a mother country and don't really understand patriotism at all... but I think that's a good thing.

James

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We owe greater gratitude to those who humble us, wrong us, and douse us with venom, than to those who nurse us with honour and sweet words, or feed us with tasty food and confections, for bile is the best medicine for our soul. - Elder Paisios of Mount Athos

Of course. Any privileged white boy worth his grain in salt listens to jazz.

Ain't it the truth! Ain't it the truth!

No.

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"Who wants to be consistent? The dullard and the doctrinaire, the tedious people who carry out their principles to the bitter end of action, to the reductio ad absurdum of practice. Not I."-Oscar Wilde, The Decay of Lying

Cradle R.C. to agnostic to wild life to atheist (youthful indiscretion) to Protestant for 30 years to OCA, all in Northern California. I knew I should have been dead long before this and as a catechumen I realize I was.

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Mark 14:36God is with us, understand O' ye nations, and submit yourselves, for God is with us

What bizarrely parallel lives we lead! Different starting points but everything from anarchist-communist (while at university I was heavily involved with the Anarchist-Communist Federation here) onward looks pretty much like my background. I wonder if many journeys to Orthodoxy involve both Kropotkin and Marpa?

James

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We owe greater gratitude to those who humble us, wrong us, and douse us with venom, than to those who nurse us with honour and sweet words, or feed us with tasty food and confections, for bile is the best medicine for our soul. - Elder Paisios of Mount Athos

I've started this topic as I'd like to meet the Orthodox Christian converts.

Whether you are only thinking of converting or have already converted, please sate what religion you were before , if you were of any religion at all, and where you are from i.e. a nationality or a country.

I'd just like to know what religion people to convert from and what countries you are in, I am really interested in knowing about the Orthodox converts and reasons/how you found your way to Orthodoxy.

If you are a convert, please make yourself known here:)Thank you and be blessed by our Father in Christ!

roman catholic-southern baptist-pentecostal-unchurched-non denomination-home church-cult church gone mainstream(but not really)-presbyterian-lutheran-orthodox inquirer-orthodox catechumen(?) Live in the US, ancestors have Spanish roots.

How I found my way? Twice baptized, Bible believing Christian led by the Holy Spirit seeking 'the'(?) church, may have found it. If not still will be a Bible believing unchurched Christian.

I was actually baptized as an infant, but due to the fact that I did not really practice till later in life I consider myself a convert in many ways. Or maybe I'd be a revert. I don't know because my spiritual journey has been a sinuous one and as much as one would think that they are in control of their lives they aren't. I did a lot of "right" things, but then I did a lot of "wrong" thins. I have been consequent, and then again, not so much. Then a lot of the things turned out not the way I expected (but better and way different). So, it's best to leave it all up to God.

A typical tendency is to think that Orthodoxy is "the correct" way that will save you from Hell and get you to Heaven. But I have learned that it is much more than that: it is human nature, our beautiful relationship with our loving God and each other, and a very humble approach to life. Orthodoxy is love and humility. It is being grateful to God and praising Him, and leaving yourself and your merits behind. In other words, I did not become Orthodox, but God made me Orthodox and I pray He will keep me this way.

North American Eastern Orthodox Parish Council Delegate for the Canonization of Saints Twin Towers and Pentagon, as well as the Propagation of the Doctrine of the Assumption of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 (NAEOPCDCSTTPPDAMAFM®).

What bizarrely parallel lives we lead! Different starting points but everything from anarchist-communist (while at university I was heavily involved with the Anarchist-Communist Federation here) onward looks pretty much like my background. I wonder if many journeys to Orthodoxy involve both Kropotkin and Marpa?

James

Ha! Yeah, I was also in the local anarcho-communist federation (NEFAC, now goes by the very dull name "Common Struggle.") Life is strange.

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"A riddle or the cricket's cryIs to doubt a fit reply." - William Blake

I am not aware of any particular ways that are approved or not. It's a busy parish, and I just thought a letter would be a little bit more easy to see and remember than a phone message or something like that. I am trying to, let's say, repair my faith life, and this is one step in that.

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He will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead. His kingdom will have no end.

I am not aware of any particular ways that are approved or not. It's a busy parish, and I just thought a letter would be a little bit more easy to see and remember than a phone message or something like that. I am trying to, let's say, repair my faith life, and this is one step in that.

Cradle R.C. to agnostic to wild life to atheist (youthful indiscretion) to Protestant for 30 years to OCA, all in Northern California. I knew I should have been dead long before this and as a catechumen I realize I was.

Interesting, I came in indicating I wanted to convert, after most of a year of attending Inquirer's class and involving ourselves in our church our Priest asked us, now just waiting on my wife.

USA of mostly Swedish heritage along with some German and a British mix, although my kids are Chinese.

Coming this way because I understand the sarcasm in this.

I forgot to mention that I have already been in discussion with my priest for about 9 months at the time. Also I am coming from Eastern Catholicism, and my priest recognizes that I'm pretty close to Orthodoxy. He does recommend me books to read. I don't attend catechism because my wife does and I'm left to watch the kids during that time.

I hope to start the catechumenate in September. That's when I'm moving out.

congratulations.

Thank you

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"Who wants to be consistent? The dullard and the doctrinaire, the tedious people who carry out their principles to the bitter end of action, to the reductio ad absurdum of practice. Not I."-Oscar Wilde, The Decay of Lying

Born from Serbian Orthodox father and Polish Roman Catholic mother. Baptized at the age of 7 in Roman Catholic Church. Chrismated in the Orthodox Church at the age of 20 (however, in hear Orthodox much, much longer).

Actually, I'd rather say that I came back to the true faith of my fathers, than converted: I had no choice at the age of 7, I had always problems with "filioque" even when I didn't know that's the difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism, believe me and when I discovered at the age of 13-14 that there is something like papal infability I rejected it at once. And I was raised also in some way of Orthodox spirit and habits (however, Roman Catholic ones were dominant, that's obvious).

Nothing (at all) -> Roman Catholic Church -> Catechumen in the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia.Some friends says that they see a mix of Apostles Thomas and Peter in me. Not sure if that should scare me, make me smileor laugh.

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The meaning of life is to acquire the grace of the Holy Spirit.Saint Seraphim of Sarov

Born Lutheran-->family stopped going to church when I was 3, was a cultural Christian that didn't know whether the Jews or Christians believed that Jesus was the Son of God-->rediscovered Christianity at age 15 through a Christian rock band-->figured out I was baptized Lutheran, mom talks me into going to a non-denom church so I could receive communion without having to take classes, was planning to become Lutheran during college-->bus ride conversation with long-time Catholic friend on the way home from school leads me to check out Catholicism, I eventually abandon the idea of Lutheranism-->First heard about Orthodoxy while I was exploring Catholicism, and Eastern Catholicism; I don't find any EC church, so settle for RC church instead-->confirmed as a Catholic Easter 2010, (age 16 at this point) about a year after bus ride convo-->Byzantine Catholic in summer of 2010 after Latin NO Mass ceases to fulfill my spiritual needs-->became curious about Orthodoxy thanks to some Orthodox posters on Catholic Answers forums, and being given Orthodox materials at our BC church for Sunday School, and getting recommendations from our priest and deacon there-->figured out there's an ACROD mission 3 miles south of my house, started going to Saturday evening Vespers there-->Uncertain about whether to be Catholic or Orthodox for about 1.5 years, while serving altar of BC church-->Decide to leave Catholic Church for Orthodoxy in July of last year (I was 18 at that time, I'm 19 now) and become a formal inquirer into the Orthodox Church

This is quite remarkable! Please, tell us briefly how you have become Orthodox Christian,thank you!

Aw shucks, it's not that remarkable. I'm just following the footsteps of St. Paul!

Anyway, you can read my full story here. However, here's the condensed version.

1. Born into a secular, vaguely Jewish family.2. Believed in God as a child, even believed that Jesus was God's son (because a friend told me and I thought it was neat that God had a son).3. Drifted away from childhood belief, identified as an agnostic once I understood what the term meant.4. Embraced existentialism and its children, nihilism and hedonism from roughly 16-22.5. In search of some "cultural enlightenment" outside of my depressing, dead-end life, I went to Israel. Rediscovered my Jewish roots.6. Very brief interest in reform Judaism extinguished when a zealous friend invited me to a Shabbat in an Orthodox Jewish community.7. Flocked to Orthodox Judaism like white on rice. Craved the rituals, the rules, and the "spirituality."8. Began as a fairly modern variety of Orthodox, but quickly developed an interest in Chabad-Lubavitcher Hasidism, due to there being a Chabad house in my hometown.9. Immersed myself in the Chassidic lifestyle for a year or so before going to a yeshiva, a seminary of sorts for Chabad. Upon visiting the Chabad headquarters in Crown Heights, NY, realized I was getting into a messianic cult.10. Tried to distance myself from Chabad, even changed my minhag (custom) to Lithuanian (non-Chassidic) Orthodox Jew. Shaved my beard and stopped wearing a hat on Shabbat.11. One night, with a fever, realized that I did not believe anything and that my obsession with the rules of Orthodox Judaism was unhealthy and dangerous.12. Became an ardent atheist, repudiating everything that I once believed, ashamed.13. As I opened up and read more about religions and attended services at Catholic and Episcopal churches, I found myself as an skeptical agnostic once more.14. Came to understand the glory of Christ and wished I could believe, but always felt the pull of skepticism. Converted to Christ after an encounter that I most certainly did not deserve. Thank God.15. Struggled between Orthodoxy and Catholicism, but ultimately followed the road of inquiry into Orthodoxy.16. God willing, I will be baptized, chrismated, and received into the Holy Orthodox Church on May 4th of this year.

This is quite remarkable! Please, tell us briefly how you have become Orthodox Christian,thank you!

Aw shucks, it's not that remarkable. I'm just following the footsteps of St. Paul!

Anyway, you can read my full story here. However, here's the condensed version.

1. Born into a secular, vaguely Jewish family.2. Believed in God as a child, even believed that Jesus was God's son (because a friend told me and I thought it was neat that God had a son).3. Drifted away from childhood belief, identified as an agnostic once I understood what the term meant.4. Embraced existentialism and its children, nihilism and hedonism from roughly 16-22.5. In search of some "cultural enlightenment" outside of my depressing, dead-end life, I went to Israel. Rediscovered my Jewish roots.6. Very brief interest in reform Judaism extinguished when a zealous friend invited me to a Shabbat in an Orthodox Jewish community.7. Flocked to Orthodox Judaism like white on rice. Craved the rituals, the rules, and the "spirituality."8. Began as a fairly modern variety of Orthodox, but quickly developed an interest in Chabad-Lubavitcher Hasidism, due to there being a Chabad house in my hometown.9. Immersed myself in the Chassidic lifestyle for a year or so before going to a yeshiva, a seminary of sorts for Chabad. Upon visiting the Chabad headquarters in Crown Heights, NY, realized I was getting into a messianic cult.10. Tried to distance myself from Chabad, even changed my minhag (custom) to Lithuanian (non-Chassidic) Orthodox Jew. Shaved my beard and stopped wearing a hat on Shabbat.11. One night, with a fever, realized that I did not believe anything and that my obsession with the rules of Orthodox Judaism was unhealthy and dangerous.12. Became an ardent atheist, repudiating everything that I once believed, ashamed.13. As I opened up and read more about religions and attended services at Catholic and Episcopal churches, I found myself as an skeptical agnostic once more.14. Came to understand the glory of Christ and wished I could believe, but always felt the pull of skepticism. Converted to Christ after an encounter that I most certainly did not deserve. Thank God.15. Struggled between Orthodoxy and Catholicism, but ultimately followed the road of inquiry into Orthodoxy.16. God willing, I will be baptized, chrismated, and received into the Holy Orthodox Church on May 4th of this year.

Wow,ive to say your story is pretty remarkable! You have been on a long journey and Im glad you have found the Truth

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I believe in one God the Father and His Son the Messiah, the Savior of all people.

Why do we say "the god of our fathers" when in reality, my "fathers"/ancestors were probably a mix of Papists and neo-pagans of the Americas who worshipped the sun?

Because Dominika is not American.

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"Who wants to be consistent? The dullard and the doctrinaire, the tedious people who carry out their principles to the bitter end of action, to the reductio ad absurdum of practice. Not I."-Oscar Wilde, The Decay of Lying

Why do we say "the god of our fathers" when in reality, my "fathers"/ancestors were probably a mix of Papists and neo-pagans of the Americas who worshipped the sun?

Her father is Serbian Orthodox. Secondly Poland used to be Orthodox prior to the scism.Even without taking any of these things into consideration all of us can say that we beleive in the God of our fathers because we all hold Adam to be our bodily and spiritual father as wells as other Joseph, David, Solomon, etc... Majority of Serbs were pagans prior to conversion but we still stay to hold the faith of our forefathers for the reason mentioned above...that applies for any nationality and race...the true faith was first and then all wrong interpretations of worshiping God came later (among them paganism as well).

Why do we say "the god of our fathers" when in reality, my "fathers"/ancestors were probably a mix of Papists and neo-pagans of the Americas who worshipped the sun?

I think it is for the same reason we call Abraham , Isaac, Israel, the Prophets, the church fathers, Adam and Eve our fathers. And not everybody's ancestors are pagan. Some are not, but wore in a distant time.

Hello all, I'll try to be brief but I'm a little excited about my relatively recent conversion. I converted from being a nondenominational christian and live in the United States. I've lurked here for over a year and figured this was as good a time as any to chime in.

When I was a teenager I had an unexpected and unsolicited experience with the Holy Spirit in a friend's back yard that changed my life. I was not seeking Him and was quite happy with my life until then. I literally walked away from almost every friend I had and began a new life with two others who also made the same decision.

We attended a couple churches looking for a home and found one that fit well with our beliefs at the time. They also had a strong youth group and an amazing youth pastor. The youth group consisted mainly of Bible studies rather than activities and we soaked everything up like sponges. I found my future wife through this youth group.

A number of years later we moved to another state and found another nondenominational christian church. We were considered charismatic and I suppose technically protestant, but we never referred to ourselves as protestant. After a few years, we came in contact with an Orthodox bishop. Over time, we embraced Orthodoxy and the church converted. Had I been introduced to Orthodoxy years earlier, I likely would have rejected it, but the timing was right for my wife and I. The Holy Spirit was leading us on a path and little did we know that this was only the beginning again. Many years later, I grew weary of the constant changes in the teachings and what seemed to me to be a never-ending search for the churches identity. I felt that we would be leaving, but also didn't believe that God would take us out of something, without leading us somewhere else. I began reading books on Orthodoxy again and doing some research on the Internet since we felt drawn to Orthodoxy. There was no way we were going to attend another charismatic church and were actually leaning towards Roman Catholicism. We had been told many times that true Orthodox churches are not accepting of outsiders, especially if you're not of their ethnicity.

It was at that time that we had a chance meeting with an Orthodox priest. Well, not exactly chance, as the Holy Spirit knows exactly what He's doing. Four days later I attended the service of the Small Paraklesis, and had a much more in-depth discussion with the priest. The next day I turned in my letter of resignation and that Sunday was our last time in attendance at our old church. We've been attending a Greek Orthodox church ever since, and were Chrismated recently. We are now home.

I was baptised in the Lutheran church at 3yo as a 'gift' to my grandparents from my father.

As young girl/teen, attended a charismatic church w/o my parents (they left the church) just trying to hold on to anything good.

As a young adult, looking back, I would suppose I was an agnostic.

Had a conversion to Christ experience at age 24 and plunged myself into the protestant faith, though I never used that term. I was a Baptist.

Finally, after always questioning every.single.thing. and yet NOT questioning some teachings at the same time, I was led to Orthodoxy through a dear friend who converted about two years before me.

Our family was baptised and chrismated last October.

We are as white as white gets, born and raised on the USA.

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"Beloved in Christ, if you ever despair, wondering if what you do for God matters, remember: each single act of holiness is like a stone thrown into an ocean—the ripples go forth, and we do not know whom they touch or where they end."

Hello all, I'll try to be brief but I'm a little excited about my relatively recent conversion. I converted from being a nondenominational christian and live in the United States. I've lurked here for over a year and figured this was as good a time as any to chime in.

When I was a teenager I had an unexpected and unsolicited experience with the Holy Spirit in a friend's back yard that changed my life. I was not seeking Him and was quite happy with my life until then. I literally walked away from almost every friend I had and began a new life with two others who also made the same decision.

We attended a couple churches looking for a home and found one that fit well with our beliefs at the time. They also had a strong youth group and an amazing youth pastor. The youth group consisted mainly of Bible studies rather than activities and we soaked everything up like sponges. I found my future wife through this youth group.

A number of years later we moved to another state and found another nondenominational christian church. We were considered charismatic and I suppose technically protestant, but we never referred to ourselves as protestant. After a few years, we came in contact with an Orthodox bishop. Over time, we embraced Orthodoxy and the church converted. Had I been introduced to Orthodoxy years earlier, I likely would have rejected it, but the timing was right for my wife and I. The Holy Spirit was leading us on a path and little did we know that this was only the beginning again. Many years later, I grew weary of the constant changes in the teachings and what seemed to me to be a never-ending search for the churches identity. I felt that we would be leaving, but also didn't believe that God would take us out of something, without leading us somewhere else. I began reading books on Orthodoxy again and doing some research on the Internet since we felt drawn to Orthodoxy. There was no way we were going to attend another charismatic church and were actually leaning towards Roman Catholicism. We had been told many times that true Orthodox churches are not accepting of outsiders, especially if you're not of their ethnicity.

It was at that time that we had a chance meeting with an Orthodox priest. Well, not exactly chance, as the Holy Spirit knows exactly what He's doing. Four days later I attended the service of the Small Paraklesis, and had a much more in-depth discussion with the priest. The next day I turned in my letter of resignation and that Sunday was our last time in attendance at our old church. We've been attending a Greek Orthodox church ever since, and were Chrismated recently. We are now home.

Sorry for the long post, I tried to keep it short.

A very beautiful story. If I may, could I ask you the circumstances under which you met the priest and bishop, i.e. how that happened, and what was said between you in each encounter? And could you also share with us the story of how you encountered the Holy Spirit in a friend's back yard?

A very beautiful story. If I may, could I ask you the circumstances under which you met the priest and bishop, i.e. how that happened, and what was said between you in each encounter?

The first meeting with the priest was at the annual Greek Festival that we've attended for years. It was considered an interesting little field trip on a summer weekend with no inclination to actually join the church hosting the event. Friends and family were sitting at a table eating lunch, which can be a challenge due to the demand for a table. The priest walked up to the edge of the area with a plate of food and was obviously looking for a place to sit. Someone at our table had just left and we had an open spot, so we invited him to sit with us. That conversation was more inquiring although I don't remember the specifics. We were simply interested to learn about the Orthodox Church from his perspective compared to what we'd been reading in books and on the internet. See, everything I'd read in books was exactly what I was looking for, but my concern was that sometimes reality at a local parish can be different. We mentioned we'd like to visit but Sunday mornings were not an option at that time so he told us about the service of the Small Paraklesis on Wednesday evenings.

I went alone to that service, and afterwards I asked to speak with him. I think we spoke for around 20-30 minutes but this time it was more personal. He asked about my background and I told him where I was attending and some of the challenges I faced while still there, and why I was looking into Orthodoxy. I'd already been praying but after this meeting I was completely at peace about the decision I was about to make.

After a few weeks of attending divine liturgy on Sundays I spoke with the head priest. We had a similar conversation as with the other priest. I found it funny there were two common questions. Why Orthodoxy and why this church?

I did not meet the bishop until a couple months later and even then it was an introduction and a brief conversation.

Quote

And could you also share with us the story of how you encountered the Holy Spirit in a friend's back yard?

This story to me is an amazing testament of God's love and how He chooses us. I'm trying not to derail this thread so I'll just hit the highlights and say I was about 16 at the time and enjoyed a party lifestyle. One Friday night in the backyard of a friend's house with about 15 other people I was overcome by the Holy Spirit to the point I could not contain myself and just broke down crying. For two weeks prior to this, a friend had rededicated his life to God and had ministered to me a few times over the phone. I really didn't understand what he was saying at the time but my heart was softening. On that Friday night, I went off to the side of the house where no one could see me when this happened and a friend came over and asked what was going on. I told him I wasn't sure but that I didn't feel well and then left to go home. I didn't actually feel ill but didn't know what else to say and I simply couldn't continue that night. The next day I made a commitment to give up my life and follow Christ.

That was a very long time ago and while I've been a Christian most of my life, it was very unorthodox, so hopefully what and how I say things will not be offensive. I'm learning and trying very hard. I’m sure you’ve heard the expression of reaching a fork in the road and choosing which path to take? My path was the opposite in that everything was pointing me to this one path much like my experience when I was a teenager. Neither was easy but with the guidance and comfort of the Holy Spirit along with the encouragement and wisdom of my wife and new community, I’m completely at peace.

By the way, is there a setting to adjust the size of the box while typing responses so it doesn't jump around when the box fills up? Or maybe that's built-in to prevent people like me from making long posts?

Started as Roman Catholic in Mass., spent six years in an order of teaching brothers, left the order, got married; 25 years later, we moved to Florida and joined an Antiochian mission parish in Naples FL. Back to Mass. in 2008 and so glad to be Orthodox.

Mom was an Irish Catholic from Boston, Dad was a Catholic converted from Methodist of PA Dutch/Deutch, (Lutheran) stock, from Michigan. His ancestors helped build Lutheran churches in PA-interesting stuff to be found in Ancestry.com!

I see most of the converts are Christians from other denominations. Are there any Orthodox converts from other religions i.e. Muslims, Hindus,Buddhists..

I came from Orthodox Judaism.

wow! When I discovered that there is a God it sent me on an investigative journey that had me studying a jewish translation of the Torah and reading the Tanya! There are some really profound mystical theology within judaism that I absolutely love but somehow I could'nt help but seeing Christ in places of the Torah and even among the rabbinical commentary of it which spoke of things like "The Word/Voice of God walking through the garden looking for Adam" (after the eating of the fruit) etc. One thing that put me off though was that some rabbis and scholars specifically taught that non-jews are intellectually and especially spiritually inferior to the jew with some even saying that the soul of the non-jew is completely impure and even evil in nature. Is this a common belief within chabad or is it fringe-teachings? Sorry for the off-topic.

I was born and baptized into the lutheran church but my upbringing was completely agnostic & while I as a child knew there was a God that wanted something from me I later came to accept the completely materialistic and hedonistic worldview imposed upon me by the teachings of the public school system. Since this philosophy says life is meaningless I came to believe that since I am not famous or filthy rich I should just spend my life avoiding suffering while maximizing pleasure through drugs, sex & acquiring new goods. It had me severely depressed from the age of 16 and when I was about 25 I was put into rehab to quit my addiction to heroin/morphine and xanax. While I was a couple weeks into the cold-turkey induced sickness from the lack of morphine I was having a dream that was very "unspecific" in the way that it can not be related to things describable in the material world but I "felt" as a spirit that was without confined space & time and without body that was in the presence of something completely awe-inspiring & majestic which I could not see, hear or genuinely feel as such but I could "sense" a true love emanating to me and the sheer majesty of this as well as creation, earth, humanity and my life made me feel so ashamed of what I've been wasting so many good years on by involving myself in self-destructing behaviour, desecrating the act of creation and God. I came to reflect on God and life through the rest of my rehabilitation and when I came home I in my culturally induced bias against christianity started to research islam at first but found no spiritually appealing messages in the quran so I started to read the Bible and came across Psalm 22:"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteoussness for His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me;Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;And I will dwell in the house ofbthe Lord o the end of my days.

This psalm explained my whole life to me; how I had been prepared a table in the presence of my enemies as a consequence of turning my face away from God which ultimately led me to come even closer to God than would have been possible had I just led my normal life work, eat, sleep. I had an experience that I have read described as being "baptized in the Holy Spirit" which truly felt as if something descended upon my which opened my eyes to spirituality and made me look upon all living humans with a profound love that i hadnt felt before.

All of this has made me change my life completely and I have made it my quest to get as close to God as I possibly can in this life and my biblical studies led me through jewish, christian and hermetical mysticism with meditation techniques to orthodox christianity which is the only religion I found that has mysticism incorporated as an essential foundation of it's theology which permeates everything and gives it the most spiritual and reverent worship i've seen.

I have not yet converted because I've felt somewhat alienated by the very tight ethnic community that presides over the church where I live but I will probably do what I have to to be part of the orthodox church in the end.

wow! When I discovered that there is a God it sent me on an investigative journey that had me studying a jewish translation of the Torah and reading the Tanya! There are some really profound mystical theology within judaism that I absolutely love but somehow I could'nt help but seeing Christ in places of the Torah and even among the rabbinical commentary of it which spoke of things like "The Word/Voice of God walking through the garden looking for Adam" (after the eating of the fruit) etc. One thing that put me off though was that some rabbis and scholars specifically taught that non-jews are intellectually and especially spiritually inferior to the jew with some even saying that the soul of the non-jew is completely impure and even evil in nature. Is this a common belief within chabad or is it fringe-teachings? Sorry for the off-topic.

Yeah, I was pretty involved with Chabad and I did learn from the Tanya (although I never finished it). TBH, while it was all very mystical, it struck me as very esoteric and I would have preferred to have just studied Talmud and Tanakh when I learned with my rabbis.

If you ask someone in Chabad outreach if they think Jews are inherently superior to non-Jews, they'll probably just say that Jews and non-Jews are just different kinds of God's creation (especially if they know that you're not Jewish). However, as a Jew who got into the insides of Chabad, I unfortunately can attest to a high level of ethnic elitism (even amongst Jews, i.e. sephardic vs. ashkenazi, which is unfortunately an Orthodox Christian problem as well...). Goyim were at one point described to me as "the janitors" of humanity. They don't possess the Higher Soul that Jews do. I think all Orthodox Jews believe this to a certain extent (since they believe that they are a chosen people, to the exclusion of the nations).

I was born and baptized into the lutheran church but my upbringing was completely agnostic & while I as a child knew there was a God that wanted something from me I later came to accept the completely materialistic and hedonistic worldview imposed upon me by the teachings of the public school system. Since this philosophy says life is meaningless I came to believe that since I am not famous or filthy rich I should just spend my life avoiding suffering while maximizing pleasure through drugs, sex & acquiring new goods. It had me severely depressed from the age of 16 and when I was about 25 I was put into rehab to quit my addiction to heroin/morphine and xanax. While I was a couple weeks into the cold-turkey induced sickness from the lack of morphine I was having a dream that was very "unspecific" in the way that it can not be related to things describable in the material world but I "felt" as a spirit that was without confined space & time and without body that was in the presence of something completely awe-inspiring & majestic which I could not see, hear or genuinely feel as such but I could "sense" a true love emanating to me and the sheer majesty of this as well as creation, earth, humanity and my life made me feel so ashamed of what I've been wasting so many good years on by involving myself in self-destructing behaviour, desecrating the act of creation and God. I came to reflect on God and life through the rest of my rehabilitation and when I came home I in my culturally induced bias against christianity started to research islam at first but found no spiritually appealing messages in the quran so I started to read the Bible and came across Psalm 22:

...

This psalm explained my whole life to me; how I had been prepared a table in the presence of my enemies as a consequence of turning my face away from God which ultimately led me to come even closer to God than would have been possible had I just led my normal life work, eat, sleep. I had an experience that I have read described as being "baptized in the Holy Spirit" which truly felt as if something descended upon my which opened my eyes to spirituality and made me look upon all living humans with a profound love that i hadnt felt before.

All of this has made me change my life completely and I have made it my quest to get as close to God as I possibly can in this life and my biblical studies led me through jewish, christian and hermetical mysticism with meditation techniques to orthodox christianity which is the only religion I found that has mysticism incorporated as an essential foundation of it's theology which permeates everything and gives it the most spiritual and reverent worship i've seen.

I have not yet converted because I've felt somewhat alienated by the very tight ethnic community that presides over the church where I live but I will probably do what I have to to be part of the orthodox church in the end.

Thank you for your testimony! It sounds like you've had quite a journey back to God, and of course, it's never over!

I'm saddened to hear that you're feeling alienated by the church where you live. Are there any others nearby? Have you spoken to the priest there and told him your intentions to convert/inquire? You might find that there are warm people hiding behind the cloistered ethnic cliques.

Secular Christian --> Roman Catholic(ish) --> Orthodox ChristianI'm American. Heritage is Polish, German and British. I was most influenced by my Polish grandmother and Polish grandfather, both of whom had Ukrainian and Belorussian roots. I LOVE my Church's Slavic fair, the food the old Russian ladies bring to coffee hour, and everything else. I feel right at home, spiritually and ethnically (which isn't always the case for American converts.)